Beginnings
by merlinsearlobe
Summary: Remus Lupin (with Teddy's help) tries to draw Hermione out after her break-up with Ron. Remus/Hermione one-shot, slight AU.


_One-shot. AU because of two things:_

 _1\. Remus survived the Battle of Hogwarts._

 _2\. Age difference. Remus is 38 and Hermione is 25._

* * *

 **oOo**

"Come on. How else will you meet someone else? You have to come out again sometime." Ginny stroked her arm.

"It hasn't been that long," Hermione said, automatically.

"Four months."

Hermione did not reply.

"We're all worried about you–"

"Well great, that makes me feel so good," Hermione returned, anger rising across her features. Ginny, never one to be fazed, met her glare coolly.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but we care. I don't want to push you, but – well. I'll be back. We won't let you stay home forever."

When Hermione only bit her lip and continued resolutely to avoid Ginny's eyes, the redhead stood, making her way to the door. "See you later, then."

"Bye, Ginny."

The door clicked shut behind her and Hermione stood, walking over to lock the door. It had been months since she and Ron had split up, weeks since Ron had left the country. Yet on the most sudden of nights, she would be hit with such a wave of longing. She _missed_ him, missed being with him, talking with him, the comfort of the pattern they'd fallen into.

She constantly wondered if she'd done the wrong thing, breaking up with him. So what if they wanted different things in life at this point? Why couldn't she have stuck with him – moved to the United States with him, perhaps. Gone on those adventures he wanted to go on. It didn't matter that she preferred to stay in England and to have different adventures, ones that involved less travel and more long conversations into the deep of the night. She could have made it work-maybe.

A fresh wave of it hit her, then, and she felt the tears threaten to start up again.

They had been together for five years; and he, Ron, had been her first in so many ways. Of course it would take a long time before she could feel better.

 **oOo**

"Hermione?"

She scowled. Ginny's doing, no doubt.

"Hermione? I know you're in." Harry rapped again, his voice muffled through the door. She ran her fingers haphazardly through her hair as she marched over to swing the door open. Harry broke into a smile when he saw her, and it only made her feel ten times worse.

"What do you want?"

"Hey," Harry said, smiling still. "It's good to see you. Outside of work, I mean. Well, even at work you hardly stop by to say hi anymore."

She'd used to stop by every lunchtime, even before she'd made the move from _Magical Creatures_ to _Law Enforcement_. They'd always gone out for lunch together, she and Ron, sometimes with Harry or Ginny, sometimes all together. But ever since they'd broken up, ever since Ron had quit the Auror Office, she couldn't bear to go back and see his desk and the new auror sitting there. It was always Harry who came to find her now; or he had at first, until she had made it clear that she preferred to have the time to herself.

She repeated, "What do you want?"

Harry inched past her into the apartment. "Just wanted to see you. We all missed you at dinner last night."

"So Ginny sent you." She shut her eyes. "Just – nevermind. I just couldn't go. Sorry."

She could see it in her mind's eye, that scene she could not bring herself to be part of anymore: the Weasleys and their various significant others and whoever else from the Order had shown up, gathered around the table in the Burrow or at Grimmauld Place.

Harry had sat down on her sofa uninvited, clearly taking full advantage of their friendship. Still, he hesitated, seeming to cast around for the right words before he spoke. "Neville and Hannah say hi."

She smiled a little despite herself. "Is the baby due soon?"

"Three more months," Harry said, smiling.

"And you and Ginny–"

"Oh please, stop it," Harry laughed, with a mock groan. "You're as bad as Molly. We just got married, come on, and Ginny still wants more time with the Harpies..."

Hermione was grinning now. "Yes, true. And they should be satisfied with little Victoire for now, at least 'til–"

"–not so little _anymore_. She's three, can you believe it? Running around all night smacking my godson. I swear she's in love with him."

"Who, Teddy?" Hermione laughed. "He's, wow. He's five, isn't he?"

"Five, and he's changing his hair to about a hundred different shades already. We all had a good laugh when he copied his Daddy – brown and grey. Very nuanced, for a five-year-old."

She couldn't remember the last time she'd smiled and kept smiling. "That's adorable."

"He asked for you," Harry added.

"I haven't seen him for months," Hermione said, and for the first time, felt guilty. Trust Harry and their years of friendship to make her feel like this within five minutes. "I hope he can forgive me – please tell me five-year-olds forgive easily."

Harry laughed. "I'm sure they do, though I was talking about Remus. It would be nice to see them again, wouldn't it?"

She hesitated. "It would."

"Good," said Harry. "Will you come to dinner next time, then?"

"Harry..."

He raised his hands. "Okay. Okay. Just think about it."

 **oOo**

She did think about it, but when there was no Ginny or Harry and it was just her at home, staring at the empty spaces where Ron's things had been, her thoughts could not get very far. And the words had not stopped echoing in her head:

 _Will you marry me, Hermione Granger?_

 _I can't do this, Hermione. It's not me. This isn't what I want._

 _We just don't want the same things right now..._

 _I never wanted to hurt you._

She was roused from her thoughts by the sound of someone knocking at the door again. Harry or Ginny again, no doubt. She sighed and flicked her wand at the door. "Come in, it's open."

The door did open, but the person who peered into the room was Remus Lupin, sandy hair trimmed and neater than she'd ever seen it before. It had been months since she'd last seen him, and he looked younger than she remembered. His features still possessed the lightness that had been there ever since Teddy's birth.

And there was Teddy, holding Remus' hand, beaming at her. The smile she returned was instinctive, easy, lifting the pressure inside her.

"Hey," Lupin said. His smile was a quieter one than his son's, but just as warming. "Good to see you again, Hermione."

She rose as Lupin let the door close behind him. "Teddy! Hi. Remus. It's so good to see you two."

"Go say hi, Teddy."

Teddy ran to her, grinning, and hugged her hard as soon as she'd knelt down. "Hi Aunt Hermione!" His hair was bright pink. She laughed, his unreasoned childish joy infectious.

"I've missed you," she told him, touching the tip of his nose, making him wrinkle it in delight.

"I can change my nose now," Teddy told her in return, puffing his chest out importantly. "Watch!"

She obliged, and watched as Teddy screwed up his little face, the resemblance to Tonks uncanny, and transformed his nose into a porcine affair. "Well done, Teddy. Lovely. My little babe."

Lupin laughed as Teddy pelted off, making a bee-line for Crookshanks, who lay lazily on the windowsill as though awaiting the attention. Hermione stood, heart lighter than it had been in days.

"Good to see you," she said, again, as she and Remus hugged. "I'm sorry I haven't–"

"No need to apologise." He met her eyes as they parted. "You need your time, Hermione. I can understand that."

He had been through so much worse.

"I'm being stupid," she said, slowly.

"Of course you're not," he rejoined at once, smilingly. Then, "Teddy! Don't do that." He gave Hermione an apologetic look. She marvelled once again at how much younger and less tired he appeared. "Sorry about that, Crookshanks."

Crookshanks stared at Lupin, then gave a slow, leisurely yawn.

"So," said Lupin. "Have you eaten? I'd love to take you out, catch up, all that."

"Who put you up to this?"

Lupin didn't flinch. "Harry and Ginny."

"Great." Despite herself, she felt a little resentment, and then guilt again for not being okay already. "That's just fantastic."

"I'm not going to lie to you." His eyes were greener than she remembered. "Come, Hermione. Take pity on your old Professor."

It seemed Teddy had left her in a better mood than she'd been since Ron left.

"Thanks, Remus."

 **oOo**

"One Coconut Sunrise...and your husband's whiskey sour will be coming right up," the waitress said, setting the cocktail on the coaster in front of Hermione before beaming at the two of them. "And would you two like to hear our Valentine's specials? We have children's specials, too!"

"No, thank you," Lupin said, politely. The waitress looked rather crestfallen. "We're not–"

"–I want to hear the specials," Teddy pointed out.

"Oh, but–"

"No, Remus, let's hear them." Hermione stroked Teddy's hair, currently a harmless sandy blonde like his father's. "Let's see what they have, hm, Teds?"

Remus looked surprised, but he flashed her a smile when she caught his eye.

"Ok, great!" the waitress said, looking equal parts confused and relieved. "So to begin, the Couple's Specials are..."

What exactly the specials were Hermione did not find out, for she found she couldn't pay attention. Instead, she watched the Lupins, her attention divided between father and son, and soaked in the pleasure of being outside again, and feeling better. She had gone out with Harry and Ginny, but it didn't feel the same. They were her closest friends in the world but because of that they always reminded her of Ron.

And Lupin didn't. She found herself smiling more often.

Lupin was speaking.

"I think we'll need a few minutes. Right, Hermione?"

"Er – right," she said.

When the waitress had left, Remus leaned in, grinning. "Did you hear a word she said?"

"I _doubt_ it," Teddy piped up. She looked at him in surprise and then laughed, feeling singularly grateful that Remus had come around.

"I didn't," she admitted.

"I never took you for one not to pay attention," Remus said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. Teddy was imitating him. Hermione pressed a hand to her lips to contain her amusement. "I always thought you were my star pupil."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint. Or perhaps you're just a better Professor than our waitress here."

"Flattery," said Remus. "Much appreciated. Ten points to Gryffindor."

" _I'm_ going to be in Gryffindor," Teddy cut in, importantly. "Just like Daddy."

"Good choice," Hermione said.

"Good to keep your options though, right, Teddy? What about Slytherin, like grandma? Or Hufflepuff–"

"–like Mummy!" Teddy beamed around the table. "Yeah, anything but Ravenclaw."

Hermione caught Remus' eye. He was smiling.

He had grieved for months after the Battle, but she could see now he had made the choice to carry on.

"So what do you want, Hermione?"

It took her a moment to realise he was talking about the food.

 **oOo**

She saw them often after that day. Before long, Remus had convinced her to come around to their home as well. A month had passed before he ventured,

"Do you mind if I invite Harry and Ginny round for tea?"

Hermione looked up from the improbably tall structure Teddy was busy building on the coffee table. Remus looked hopeful.

"Sure," she said, after a beat.

"Excellent," he said, happily.

"I know where you're going with this, you know."

Remus paused, his hand halfway to the floo powder. "What d'you mean?"

"You're luring me out – first Harry and Ginny, eventually the whole gang over for dinner."

He gave her a wry smile. "You make it sound so sinister."

 **oOo**

"Is there anyone you like at the moment? Anyone you could grow to like?"

"Maybe I just want some time for myself right now."

"You've had half a year to yourself," said Ginny. "But – of course. No, I'm just asking. No rush."

Hermione smiled. "No, there's no one."

"Let me know when you do want to meet someone. You should get out of that stuffy Ministry sometimes. I know lots of fine Chasers and Seekers..."

Hermione laughed. "I'm fine with who I have now, thanks. You, Harry, Teddy."

"Mm." Ginny observed her for a moment over the rim of her teacup. "Remus."

"And Remus," she agreed. "Yes, I like Remus."

Ginny grinned.

"Not like that, though, Ginny Weasley. Not like _that_."

Except, she thought once she was alone in bed, _maybe_ like that. It wasn't anything serious, but she seemed to have redeveloped a minor crush on Remus Lupin. She had always been fond of him; he was just one of those people who rubbed her the right way. The way he spoke, the things he said, the way he said them. It didn't hurt that she liked the way he looked, too. She felt she could look into those blue-green eyes for ages, if only it were appropriate.

She nursed her crush quietly, happy simply to like someone again. When he made dinner for the three of them, himself and Hermione and Teddy, she thrilled in watching him move around the kitchen. She loved to watch him take care of his son. And she loved when they sat together on the sofa those nights when Teddy had gone to bed, and simply talked.

One day, quite unexpectedly, she noticed more than his eyes and his face, and came to think of his entire body. They were talking again and the clock was nearing midnight, and she found her gaze drawn to his hand resting on the sofa back. How his hand was bigger than hers – what he did with it – what it would feel like to touch his hand.

Certainly she had always been aware of him, had even had a crush on him in the past, but she had never truly thought of him as a _man_. Not like this. Not physically, wondering suddenly about his strength, how he would touch her.

Their eyes met and her stomach turned over.

"I should go," she said. He made no protest.

She left that evening, and vowed not to return until she had a better grasp of her feelings, but found she could not stay away. He would ask her for dinner and she would come. She told herself it was to see Teddy.

 **oOo**

One night she dropped by unannounced, like she had done before, and he opened the door with the same smile she had received countless times, except these days it crept through her pores and made her heart flutter.

"I've brought dinner," she announced.

"That's excellent," he said. "I wasn't going to cook tonight."

He set out only two plates on the dining table. She asked him where Teddy was.

"Sleepover at Bill and Fleur's," said Remus. "Or rather, at Victoire's."

Hermione left the food on the kitchen counter in the bag she had brought it in. Remus gave her a quizzical look, but his pretense did not fool her. She had long since ceased to think of him as Professor Lupin.

She sat down on the sofa, and he followed as though drawn to her. _Good_ , she thought. When she made space, he sat down beside her, a hand's width between their thighs.

"Hermione..." he began, when she reached out and stroked his fingers and the back of his hand.

" _Shh_ ," she urged.

"Don't want you to regret," Remus said, but he held her fingers and squeezed.

"I won't. I don't."

She willed him to kiss her.

He did.

 **oOo**

"I never saw it coming," said Ginny.

Of course, nobody believed her.


End file.
